Device for mooring ships and the like



Patented May 5, 1925.

UNITED NSTATES PA raam TENT orties. v

miens FRANKBUCKINGHAM AND CHARLES EDWARD nownnmon LEAMINGTN sra, i

ENG-LAND; `SAID BUCKINGHAM assienoia 'ro sain nownnn.

DEVICEFOR MOORNG SHIPS AND THE LIKE.`

Application filed September 22J 1924. Serial No. 739,215.

To all 107mm 'it may concern.'

Be it known that we, JAMES FRANK Buoni'NGHAMand CHAnLns EDWARD BowDnN, subjects ot the King of England, residing at Leamington Spa, larwickshire, England,

haveinvented certain new and useful Im proveniente ina Device for Mooring Ships andthe like, of whichthe following is a specification.` i

This invention relates to a new or improved device for mooring ships and the like, and it has forits objectto provide a simple and easily operated appliance for effectively engaging a mooring rope with a buoy or other anchoring device, whereby the common dif- `ticulties arising through strong currents,

rough water, or other causes, are avoided,

and the operations can readily be elil'iected single handed.

According to this invention, the mooring `device comprises a. hook attached to the mooring rope and loosely mounted upon a i pole to enable it to be engaged-with a mooring ring or the like, and so arranged that the hook can be left on theniooring ring and the pole removed.

The pole preferably ing engagement with the hook, and the lattei' is provided with a closure element which may be held open by the engagement of tl e hook with the pole and is automatically closed. when the pole is withdrawn.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l `is a side elevation of the hook n'iounted upon the pole ready for use,

Figure 2 is a cross section on the line 2.2. of Figure l, looking in the direction of the arrow, a larger scale being employed for elearness,`and

Figure 3 shows the hook attached to a ring on a mooring buoy with the pole dis engaged.

The hook A consists of a stamping or casting ott"` U-shape and having one of its limbs A2 longer than the other A3. On the longer limb is mountedv a pivoted member such as a latch 'B adapted, in turning about its `pivot B2 `automatically to close the hook.

`Alternatively the closure element may be a leaf spring secured at one of its ends to the longer limb A2 of the hook adapted in one latter.

has a telescopic slidas to lie in a recess A* along the side oit the longer limb of the hook to open it. ln either arrangement any tendency of the hook to become disengaged makes` the closure more secure.

The pole may be of tubular form, or it may be a wooden pole C witha tubular socket C2 at itsend. This socket `is so arranged that when the longer limb A2 ot the hook is pushed into it, `the spring or `other closure enters the socket and is thrust against the longer limb of the hook so as to open the `When the pole is withdrawn the spring immediately closes the hook.

` The mooring rope D is attached to` the hook A by means of a suitable eye A5 secured thereto by pivoting at AG. This eye swings round tothe side of the hook when the socket C2 is engaged, and to permit oi such engagement a longitudinalslot C3 ere i tends `from the open end oit the socket toi.' a

the pole in the manner just described so that the hook is open, and using the pole C to guide the hook, engages it with the ring E2 or equivalent on `the mooring buoy E, and then promptly withdraws the pole, leaving the hookon the buoy while the closure device B operates to close the hook and the mooring operation is conipleted.

By a converse process the hook can' be disengaged by means of the pole which is then manipulated so as to engage the longer limb of the hook, and is thrust endwise so that it acts upon andslides over the spring closure and opens the latter, when by suitable manipulation oi the pole, the hook can be at once disengaged trom the n'iooring ring.

It preferred, the longei' liinb of 'the hook could be made hollow and the mooring rope could extend through the interior and be secured by Arnotting its end.

The pole which preferably is made of wood could be provided at its ends with a. double clamp made of two parts drawn together by bolts instead oi the socket G2.

lil-Ii One part ot this clamp would grip tightly the pole while the other part, arranged side by side with it, would receive with sutiicient friction the long limb ot' the hook with the latters closure element. By pulling upon the pole atter the hook is engaged the latter' would be drawn clear of the'clamp, and to 11n-moor a converse movement would re einer the limb of the hook in the clamp.

lVhen the pole is made hollow for the mooring rope to extend through it, a clamping device such as a cam may be provided 'm the side ot the hollow portion to grip the rope and hold it until 'the user is ready to release it. within the pole.

The hook can be made ot such size or form 'that it is not much larger than an ordinary boat hook, and can be arranged for attachment to the end ol an oar or scull for use with comparatively small boats.

By the foregoing it will be seen that a vessel or boat can readily be moored single handed to a tloatingv buoy orI other anchoring or mooring device. in spite of adverse conditions, and can also be uli-moored as easily.

rIhe hook may be formed of any desired section material, for instance round or H- section.

What We claim as our invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent in the United States is :m

1. In a mooring device for ships and the like, the combination ot' a mooring rope, a hook attached thereto, a closure device for said hook, and a pole upon which said hook is loosely mounted adapted` to control said closure device to hold it open when the pole and the hook are engaged and to allow its closure when said 'pole is withdrawn, substantially asset forth.

2. In a mooring device for ships and the like, the combination ol a mooring` rope, a hook ot U shape having limbs of unequal .length attached to said mooring rope, a latch pivoted to the longer limb of said hook and a spring acting upon said latch to thrust like, the combination ot a mooring rope,

a U shaped hook attached thereto, a spring pressed closure device mounted upon said hook, a socket adapted to slide upon the limb or" said lio-ok, thereby to hold said closure device open against the action ot its spring, and engagement means tor securing said socket to a. spar, substantially as set forth.

4. In a mooring device for ships and the like, the ycombination ot a U shaped hoek having one limb longer than the other, an eye pivotally connected with the longer limb of said hook, a mooring rope attached to said eye, a spring closure device upon said hook, a pole, aA socket at the end of said pole adapted to slide `freely over the longer limb of said hook thereby to support the hool: and to hold open said closure device, and a slet along said socket adapted to provide ior the passage along it o'l said pivoted eye, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereot we have signed our names to this speciication in the presence ot two subscribing witnesses.

JAMES FRANK BUCKINGIZ. CHARLES EDWARD EOWDEN.

' litnesses:

Gnou E. Bowman, Tannen Gr. INGnAM. 

